William benjamin smith



(No Model.)

W. B. SMITH.

GRAIN CRADLE.

Pauzented Nov. 9, 1886.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WVILLIAM BENJAMIN SMITH, OF ATLANTA, GEORGIA.

GRAIN-CRADLE. I

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 352,372, dated November9, 1886. I

Application filed October 23, 1885. Serial No. 180,706. (No model.)

grain-cradles.

The object is to provide ametal cradle of such construction andproportions that it will be lighter and more durable than those hithertoconstructed.

A further object is to provide a cradle which will not hang in the grainor in vines, even when the grain is fallen down.

A further object is to provide a cradle which may be manufactured atless cost, be more easily repaired, and adjusted to the blade and handlethan those hitherto constructed.

With these ends in view my invention consists in certain features ofconstruction and combinations of parts, as will be hereinafterdescribed, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view of my improved cradleinperspective. Fig. 2 is a detached view of one of the crossrods and tubesfor securing the fingers in position. Fig. 3 is a view of one of thefingers, and Fig. 4 is a detached enlarged view of the bar for securingthe ends of the fingers to the handle. Figs. 5 and 6 representcross-sections through lines a x and 3 g, respectively, of plate 9.

Letters Patent No. 322,885, entitled graincradles,were granted to me onJuly 21, 1885, andthe present invention relates particularly toimprovements upon the construction there shown and described.

a a represent tubes made of sheet iron, tin, or any light metal, havingtransverse slots j j cut in them to admit the metallic fingers f. One ofthe tubes a is located at ornear the point of the blade, and the other ashort distance from the heel of the blade, and both extend transversely,or nearly so, to the blade. Rods I) extend through the tubes to, and arebent at right angles at their ends next the blade, and providedwith eyesK, through which they are bolted to the blade by bolts m, provided withdraw-nuts. The ends of the rods 1) which project through the oppositeends of the tubes a extend through the upper rail or border finger, 01,,of the cradle, and the said rail or finger is secured on the rods 12 incontact with the ends of the tubes at by means of nuts working on thethreaded ends of the rods.

g is a bar made of light sheet metal having one edge turned to giveitthe required strength, and provided with a series of holes for theendsof the fingers to hook into. The bar 9 is secured to thelower end of thehandle or snath by abolt, g, and at its opposite end'to a bracket orstay, h. The latter consists of a piece of sheet metal folded over atright angles and secured to the handle by screws Z Z,'one located nearits end and one extending through the fold. The bracket or stay h isprovided with a series of perforations, I, through which the end of thebar 9 may be secured at different distances from the handle, for thepurpose which will hereinafter appear.

The fingers f consist of metallic rods or tubes having their points fbent in the form of an eye or hook, and adapted to embrace the rod 1)within the tube a at the point of the blade; thence they extend to therod 7) within the other tube a, where they are bent to form an eye orloop, f which is adapted to embracethe rod 1), the finger entering andcoming out of the slot j, and thence the finger extends to the bar g, inone of the perforations of which it is hooked. The upper rail or borderfinger, 12, projects past the end of the heel-tube a, and from itsextreme end a brace, 0, leads to the bracket h, to which it is secured,preferably by means of the same bolt, h, which secures the bar g to thebracket. to the end of rail or border finger n by means of a pair ofadjusting-nutsfli, which work on its threaded end, and serve to regulatethe angle of therail n with respect to the handle or snath, and hencethe set of the point of the cradle. A stay-rod, d, extends from the railor finger a at the end of the rod 2) to the lower end of the handle orsnath, and is secured to the latter,preferably by means of the same boltwhich secures the lower end of the bar 9 to the handle. It is secured totherod b by the'nut b, which secures the rail nthereto. A third brace,e, extends from the heel end of the rail or finger n to the rod 1) nearits blade end, and is provided with an eye or loop at each end,

The brace c is secured which embrace, respectively, the rod and therod 1) within the tube, entering the tube a through one of the slots j.A fourth stay, 0, extends from the rail or finger n at the end of therod 12 to the upper end of the bar 9, and is secured conveniently by thebolts b and h.

By moving the upper end of the bar gaway from and toward the handle orsnath by means of the perforations Z and bolt h the upper part of thecradle is made to assume the desired position relatively to the blade. 1The bolts m m, which secure the rods b to the blade, serve to secure theblade firmly to the cradle, rendering it stiff and capable of passingthrough extremely heavy grain Without ,warpiug or giving way.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a graiucradle, the combination, with the blade and handle orsnath, of a bar secured to the handle or snath in swinging adjustment,and a series of fingers secured to the blade and the swinging bar, andadapted to be adjusted by the adjustment of the bar,'substantially asset forth.

2. In a grain-cradle, the combination, with the handle or snath and theblade, of the movable bar 9, fingers f, bracketor stay 72, and means forfastening, substantially as set forth.

3. In a grain-cradle, the combination,with the tubes (1, havingtransverse slots formed therein, of the fingers f, adapted to enter theslots, and the rods b, for securing the fingers in the tube,substantially as set forth.

4. In a grain-cradle, the combination, with the handle or snath, a baradj ustably secured thereto, and rods extending longitudinally throughslotted tubes located transversely to the blade, of fingers attached tothe adjustable bar and held in position by the rods within the tubes,substantially as set forth.

5. In a grain-cradle, the combination, with the upper rail or borderfingerfthe handle, and the blade, of the slotted tubes at a, fingers f,and rods b, substantially as set forth.

6. In a grain-cradle, a tube provided with transverse slots adapted toreceive loops or eyes formed on the fingers, in combination with afinger-securing rod extending through the tube, substantially as setforth.

7. In a grain-cradle, an adjusting-bar, g, having its edge turned overto increase its strength, and provided with a series of perforations forthe attachment of the ends of the fingers, substantially as set forth.

'8. In a grain-cradle, the combination, with the handle or snath, theadjusting-bar y, secured thereto, and the cradle-fingers secured to theadjustable bar, of the bracket h, secured to the handle or snath andfolded over onto itself to carry one end away from the handle, the' freeend being provided with a series of holes for the attachment of one endof the adjusting-bar g, substantially as set forth.

9. In a'grain-cradle, the combination, with the fingers adjustablysecured to the handle, 7

the handle, and the stay-rods, of the slotted tubes adapted to separatethe fingers, the rods 1), extending longitudinally through the tubes,and the blade bolted to the rods b, snbstam tially as set forth.

10. In a grain-cradle, the combination, with a series of fingers securedto the blade and to an adjustable bar attached to the handle or snath,of the stay-rods, substantially as described, adapted to secure thefingers to the handle or snath, substantially as set forth.

\VILLIAM BENJAMIN SMITH.

Attest:

U. M. GOODMAN, H. F. LEAK.

